Darksoft NG Multi is Released Feb 2018. Impressions Please.

Morden

Somewhere in Europe.,
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Personally I think that's kinda shitty and cheap on their behalf. I can't imagine where in the world they magically conjured up hundreds and hundreds of empty and used MVS cart shells from without taking them from working carts.

I wonder, if we'll see a sudden influx of bare boards on eBay in a year or so. It's too bad, really. The number of Neo games on the market is limited, and buying up all of the cheap ones only increases the prices. I also wonder where did they get enough games to cover the number of multis produced. Honestly, I'd prefer if they released the board without a case, like they did with every other multi they've released. People could put them in their cheapest, most beat up cartridge cases, and that process would be reversible.

Honestly I really like their slot system. I'm the kind of guy who always plays the same 2-3 games over and over and a multi-slot solution is very nice. I'd put something like Metal Slug 2, Blazing Star and Matrimelee and be good with it for a long long time.

How long does it take to flash the biggest one of those games [Matrimelee] to a slot? I'm guessing it takes almost no time at all. You'd rather wait for ALL THREE TITLES to flash EVERY TIME you boot up the system, than manually flash the ONE game you want to play at that particular time? That doesn't make any sense. I will never be sold on the slot system. Period.
 

3rdStrikeMike

Dodgeball Yakuza
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They are using old MVS shells. I am guessing they sacc'ed carts to do that. They then sandblast them to remove scratches/gouges from them and apply new labels to them.


Personally I think that's kinda shitty and cheap on their behalf. I can't imagine where in the world they magically conjured up hundreds and hundreds of empty and used MVS cart shells from without taking them from working carts.

It's another good reason to support the NEOSD as it uses a custom molded cart shell that doesn't involve destroying existing games.

I totally agree. There's a plethora of reasons not to support this product and this just puts the icing on the cake. I wasn't aware they were doing this and it's really disappointing. I love how DS is always talking bad about Terraonion and about how "toxic" the forums are here, yet they do something that is literally detrimental to the NG community. Watch prices go up on even the cheapest MVS games now. All this just so they can cheap out on a shell for their faulty and late to the party flash cart. They sure ran their mouth about the SSDS3. Karma's a bitch. Let's just see if they have anything remotely close to the customer service that Terraonion has had with their customers.
 

Burgers5750

Kabuki Klasher
Joined
Jan 7, 2017
Posts
127
They are using old MVS shells. I am guessing they sacc'ed carts to do that. They then sandblast them to remove scratches/gouges from them and apply new labels to them.


Personally I think that's kinda shitty and cheap on their behalf. I can't imagine where in the world they magically conjured up hundreds and hundreds of empty and used MVS cart shells from without taking them from working carts.

It's another good reason to support the NEOSD as it uses a custom molded cart shell that doesn't involve destroying existing games.

Fuck the software issues, if this is true and working legit boards are being removed from shells it's sacrilege.
 

Morden

Somewhere in Europe.,
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711
All this just so they can cheap out on a shell

I don't really know that much about case manufacturing costs, so maybe NeoSD can chime in. There must be a number of boards by which it is no longer feasible to gut actual games and have their cases sandblasted. I know NeoSD manufactured their cases in Europe, but what about China? Aliexpress is full of multis, which come in a variety of cases. They are clearly still in production, as I see new titles [single games with crazy labels] pop up every now and then.

I wonder if it would be possible to try and get contact information for a case manufacturer from one of the resellers. Some of them are just stores, but some have pictures from the factory, with cartridge assembly stations clearly shown. I don't know if they'd be willing to cooperate, but China cases from a factory that already makes them would eliminate mold costs at least. Import taxes are a whole different story, though.

I'm sure NeoSD have done the math on this. I'd be interested to know what the cost per case was, all in all. If we put that against the lowest possible cost of an actual game, I'd be willing to bet the case manufacturing would still be cheaper.
 

Niko

Whip's Subordinate
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I don't really know that much about case manufacturing costs, so maybe NeoSD can chime in. There must be a number of boards by which it is no longer feasible to gut actual games and have their cases sandblasted. I know NeoSD manufactured their cases in Europe, but what about China? Aliexpress is full of multis, which come in a variety of cases. They are clearly still in production, as I see new titles [single games with crazy labels] pop up every now and then.

I wonder if it would be possible to try and get contact information for a case manufacturer from one of the resellers. Some of them are just stores, but some have pictures from the factory, with cartridge assembly stations clearly shown. I don't know if they'd be willing to cooperate, but China cases from a factory that already makes them would eliminate mold costs at least. Import taxes are a whole different story, though.

I'm sure NeoSD have done the math on this. I'd be interested to know what the cost per case was, all in all. If we put that against the lowest possible cost of an actual game, I'd be willing to bet the case manufacturing would still be cheaper.

I've done a few group buys for those china shells. The problem is that the quality just isn't that good.

I did ask about the shells they where using one time, and was told they had purchased a huge lot of dead super sidekick carts from south america. So hopefully no working carts where sac'd.
 
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Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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Jul 8, 2003
Posts
11,441
I've done a few group buys for those china shells. The problem is that the quality just isn't that good.

I did ask about the shells they where using one time, and was told they had purchased a huge lot of dead super sidekick carts from south america. So hopefully no working carts where sac'd.

200 MVS carts... and they were working from what I was told...

xROTx

PS. And if I recall... they weren't from South America....

EDIT. Could be wrong... I'll talk to the guy later...
 

Fygee

Bewbs! Z'OMG, Teh BEWBS!,
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I would think it would be rather difficult to gather hundreds of dead carts from one particular game in one particular region. I call shenanigans, so I'm going to say you're correct Rot.

Shameful to sac good, working carts for this shit, independant of how common they may be.
 

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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Jul 8, 2003
Posts
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On a side note... i get info ALL the time about what happens in the scene...

Info about members... Info about forthcoming projects... info about interesting facts... etc etc...

I aint sayin' all of it is correct... all I am sayin' is this is what I was told...

xROTx

PS. Imagine me as a huge faggot chat spider... accruing knowledge and info.... pretty much sums how I am atm....
 

Syn

There can be only one.
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It's hard to imagine you as a spider. :keke:
 

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
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Jul 8, 2003
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Yes it does, that's why I use a 138-in-1 fixed and dipswitched multi on my Neo.

And I'm 100% happy with it.

I'm just gonna sit back... drink some more whisky because quite frankly that's the stupidest reply I have seen in a while...

... Meh... not that i'll miss you...

**Read... I don't feel answering back with such a dumbass answer to VT was a great idea...
 

Syn

There can be only one.
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9,079
This puts a target on my back but i miss VT's funstering and hope things allow him to hangout more.

If behind the scenes is all life allows him, it's good he's helping where he can. ;)
 

Heinz

Parteizeit
15 Year Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2005
Posts
22,335
Yes it does, that's why I use a 138-in-1 fixed and dipswitched multi on my Neo.

And I'm 100% happy with it.

How can you be 100% happy with a glitchy multi-cart? ignorance is bliss I suppose.
 

Rot

Calvin & Hobbes, ,
Joined
Jul 8, 2003
Posts
11,441
How can you be 100% happy with a glitchy multi-cart? ignorance is bliss I suppose.

He's Italian... They still think they were on the Allied side during WW2...

They'll believe anything...

xROTx
 

Morden

Somewhere in Europe.,
Joined
Jul 5, 2005
Posts
711
Yes it does, that's why I use a 138-in-1 fixed and dipswitched multi on my Neo. And I'm 100% happy with it.

Mamma mia! No wonder you're a fan of the slots. To each their own, but don't support ideas that shouldn't be supported, mi raccomando!
 

3rdStrikeMike

Dodgeball Yakuza
10 Year Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2013
Posts
638
I don't really know that much about case manufacturing costs, so maybe NeoSD can chime in. There must be a number of boards by which it is no longer feasible to gut actual games and have their cases sandblasted. I know NeoSD manufactured their cases in Europe, but what about China? Aliexpress is full of multis, which come in a variety of cases. They are clearly still in production, as I see new titles [single games with crazy labels] pop up every now and then.

I wonder if it would be possible to try and get contact information for a case manufacturer from one of the resellers. Some of them are just stores, but some have pictures from the factory, with cartridge assembly stations clearly shown. I don't know if they'd be willing to cooperate, but China cases from a factory that already makes them would eliminate mold costs at least. Import taxes are a whole different story, though.

I'm sure NeoSD have done the math on this. I'd be interested to know what the cost per case was, all in all. If we put that against the lowest possible cost of an actual game, I'd be willing to bet the case manufacturing would still be cheaper.

I just figured they somehow stumbled on a goldmine of carts liquidated for cheap. Guess it looks like that was the case. Outside of that I'm sure it would it would be cheaper to go the route of manufactured cases at going rates for even the cheapest MVS carts. If they truly did use working carts for this, it is terrible no matter what game it was.
 
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donluca

Ninja Combat Warrior
Joined
Aug 19, 2015
Posts
529
To each their own, but don't support ideas that shouldn't be supported

I'm not supporting anything, just saying that the multi slot thing, if done properly, wasn't a half bad idea, imho.
The way they implemented it, though, makes it totally useless. If it stuck after flashing it, the way NeoSD does when you flash a game, then it would be good.

Also, do some research on the 138-in-1 and you'll see that most games come up ok when checking them with Razoola's Unibios ROM check. You're likely thinking of the 161-in-1 which hacked a code in each game to get back to the game select menu (which created issues in some games) and has a beta version of MotW IIRC.

EDIT: just to make sure, before people start putting words in my mouth (something I really hate, btw): NeoSD has a killer product and I absolutely support it. If I didn't have a 138-in-1 already I would have probably bought it day one. I'm not advising getting a 138-in-1 or anything.
Someone dissed on the multi slot thing and I chimed in. Afterwards someone asked if 1-2 minute of waiting for the game to load was relevant to me – it was. Then came the trolling, for which I really have no time or interest in, so I cleared up on the question a bit.
 
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phoenixdownita

Cheng's Errand Boy
Joined
Jun 28, 2015
Posts
114
Among all the reported issues were there any tales of success? I mean were there say 5 people that got this thing for whom it just was working as advertised?
 

Syn

There can be only one.
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About 100 units have shipped and yes most aren't reporting problems.
 

phoenixdownita

Cheng's Errand Boy
Joined
Jun 28, 2015
Posts
114
About 100 units have shipped and yes most aren't reporting problems.

Pardon my reach but "not reporting problems" is different from reporting success in flying colors.
I would expect some of them to be explicit about not having any of the issues reported or maybe just a subset.
Given how much the load speed was a selling point one would think that those happy customers would share in on their joy and let the rest of us behold the cart zipping thru.

Not saying they all have issues, just that if the cart delivered what was promised it would at least have the same kind of positive praise the NeoSD had.
Hopefully they'll sort it out

Unrelated: for the love of GOD I can't listen to Axel Foley's theme MOD for the Soundtracker anymore, I had an Amiga when that thing came out and it was fun then .... but that was 30Y ago ... jeez. I love the movie, just can't stand the mod anymore.
 

Syn

There can be only one.
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Jan 21, 2009
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I'm one of the few people that post on both forms (thank you Rot) and I have little interest in wading through the bullshit of reporting my personal results here. Rot is allowing this thread to exist but some of you don't want to hear positive things.

I've held my tongue once to often to believe that now I can freely discuss DS products.

I have bought items from both sides and will remain neutral as I can't be bothered with feuds.
 
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